The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has lamented that the powers of traditional rulers have been diminished and that a constitutional review is necessary to give Nigerian monarchs more authority.
Ooni said it is bad for Nigeria that even the chairman of a local government wields more authority than traditional rulers.
The traditional ruler, represented by Onifegunwa of Ifegunwa, Oba Adedire Adewole Solomon, made these remarks in Abuja during the eighth anniversary of the Nigeria Most Influential Awards, hosted by VGlamour Magazine.
“As the established authorities, we require a review of the constitution. According to our constitution, the government has complete authority over the traditional ruler. There is a clause in the constitution that makes the king less powerful to the extent that even a local government chairman has power over a monarch. It is not done, there should be a review. Position is good, but personality matters.
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“Ooni is extremely simple. He is a realist. With that, he is aware of the needs of people and communities. It makes no difference where you stand, but how close are you to the grassroots?
“The Ooni previously told the National Assembly members that although they live in wealth and luxury, how many of them can spend a week in their hometowns and villages? It’s what we Kings do,” he stated.
The Onifegunwa states that Ooni is a giver, who assists the underprivileged.
“In a single day, he never spends less than N10 million. He helps a lot of people and provides them with a lot of sponsorship.
“He also has a Foundation where people from all over the country come to train and he pays from his own purse. He is also ensuring that our cultures are revived despite that he is young and well educated,” he added.
